Fingered harmonica



' Nov. 23, 1965 O. M. HEATH FINGERED HARMONICA Filed Sept. 4, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 23, 1965 o. M. HEATH FINGERED HARMONICA 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 4, 1964 Gama 900a 9609 ueea FIG.

FIG. 3

FIG.

United States Patent 3,218,903 FINGERED HARMONICA Oran M. Heath, 1410 Crescent Drive, Corpus Christi, Tex. Filed Sept. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 394,476 3 Claims. (Cl. 84377) My invention relates to a fingered harmonica. In the harmonica, the eight tones of the diatonic octave are produced by alternately blowing and drawing air into four adjoining holes, each fitted with a blow reed and a draw reed. There is normally an inversion for the fourth hole in order to permit both the lower and upper note of the octave to be produced by blowing.

The conventional chromonica instrument places three or four sets of these four-hole octaves end-to-end; and without use of the slide, will produce the C scale, having no sharps or flats. This is the familiar do-re-mi-fa-solla-ti-do of the diatonic scale, repeated as often as necessary to obtain the desired range. It will be noted that, since these eight tones are repeated by placing the fourhole groups end-to-end on the instrument, the upper do of one octave will adjoin the lower do of the next octave, giving two identical tones in adjoining holes. Thus, a 16-hole instrument will sound 32 individual tones, but will actually produce only the required 29 tones of the four-octave diatonic scale.

There is an obvious advantage in having every octave identical, and the double-hole tones are no problem.

In the chromonica, there are actually two harmonicas,

side-by-side, each tuned as described above (except with tempered tuning), one harmonica tuned a half-tone above the other. A slide of unique design acts as a valve to expose one harmonica while it closes off the other. Thus, pushing the slide in serves to raise every note a semitone. This permits sounding the entire chromatic scale through four octaves for -a 16 hole chromonica.

A primary object of my invention is to permit a chromonica type reed instrument to be played by fingering; rather than by moving the mouth over the holes, rendering it easier for the beginner than the conventional instrument.

A further object is to permit sounding a combination of tones simultaneously. The chromonica is basically a solo instrument; but combinations, especially in octaves, become possible with fingering which would be impossible with the conventional instrument.

A further object is to permit all notes to be played in a positive manner, depending on mechanical manipulation rather than the ear. This will eliminate fumbling for the right note, which so often kills the beginners hopes of learning to play the chromonica.

A further object is to otter a fingerboard system which permits positive control of the entire four octave chromatic scale without a requirement for shifting a single finger away from its home base position. Thus, the performer will never need to look at the keyboard but may concentrate on the 'musical score.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists of a specially designed apparatus having a single mouthpiece and one valve-like control for each of the eight fingers, controlling air to the 16 holes of a fouroctave chromonica type instrument. The eight finger controls direct air from the mouth to and from the 16 outlets, while the right thumb operates the conventional slide valve which raises all notes a semi-tone.

In principle, we multiply one set of four left hand controls by the other set of four right hand controls, to obtain air control to 16 outlets. Proper channelling permits the outlets to be arranged in the correct sequence. However, the instrument is not limited to in-line outlets or to any preconceived order of outlet holes.

Patented Nov. 23, 1965 ice In the drawings: FIGURE 1 is a flow diagram for air from the mouthpiece M to or from any one of 16 outlets, graphically shown as squares in which are indicated the notes of the C scale.

Physically, the right hand is held behind the instrument with the thumb to the right. The left hand is in front of the instrument with the thumb pointing right, also. Therefore, to get a clear mental picture of the controls in FIGURE 1, one needs only turn the drawing on its side with the top to the left, and imagine valves V through V controlled by the left hand, little finger at V and valves 5D through 8D controlled by the fingers of the right hand, with the little finger on valve 5D. This finger then controls the four-hole valve 5D/5A, with all holes opened or closed simultaneously. The other right hand fingers control valves 6D/6A, 7D/7A, and SD/SA, all of which are four-hole valves, similar or identical to 5D/5A.

The described controls lead the air supply to the 16 holes of the reed instrument, which is identical in principle to the conventional 16-hole chromonica, except that the slide is operated by thumb instead of forefinger.

FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 are graphical representations of plates which are enclosed within the body of the instrument. Their purpose is to show something of the physical positions of the holes and air channels for an instrument drawn around an in-line valve system. Obviously, a more compact instrument will result from space-saving design changes which need not depart from the principles described. Plates shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 may be laminated together to form an air chamber. The plate of FIGURE 4 has a top (back) cover which is solid except for the 16 holes banked along the top. These represent the 16 outlets which will then lead the air supply to and from the 16 holes of a chromonica-type reed instrument (or to electrical switches for an electronic organ type instrument). Since the conventional chromonica cannot be played by the simple expedient of feeding these outlets directly into that instrument, it would be inaccurate to show it as an appendage. A reed instrument of the same principle as the chromonica is required, which will have the slide pointing toward the left in FIGURE 4.

The plate represented by FIGURE 2 must also have a face, which is solid except that all holes shown in FIG- URE 2 are cut through it. Thus, with the face attached to the plate, the air is channeled from the left hand valves, A, B, C or D, to the right hand openings 1-13, 2-14, 3-15, and 4-16.

The finger valves are flat members, working against spring tension, and when fully pressed down, will have their openings exactly matching the holes in the plates. These valves lie between the plates in FIGURE 2 and FIGURE 3 with the pushbutton ends toward the top. For instance, when pressed down fully, the right forefinger valve will have openings which exactly cover the holes 1, 2, 3' and 4. Thus, with this valve lying between plates 2 and 3, when it is pushed down, it permits air to pass in either direction between the two plates for the holes mentioned; but when the valve is permitted to rise under spring tension, it will close holes 1, 2, 3 and 4 simultaneously. In correlating drawings FIGURE 1 with FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, it will be noted that valve in FIGURE 1 is used to open or close openings 1, 2, 3

and 4 in the latter figures. Likewise, valve 7A(7B7C7D) opens or closes holes 5, 6, 7 and 8; valve 6A(6B6C6D) opens or closes holes 9, 10, 11 and 12; and valve 5A(5B5C5D) opens or closes holes 13, 14, 15 and 16. Also V opens 2, 3 and 4.

or closes bole D; V opens or closes hole C; V opens or closes hole B; and V opens or closes hole A.

To assist in tracing air movement through the system, the drawings have been coded as follows: A single circle represents a hole which is cut into (but not through) a plate; while a double circle indicates a hole out completely through a plate; and the lines represent air channels cut into (but not through) the plates.

For orientation purposes: FIGURE 4 represents the plate closest to the back of instrument. Therefore the performers right hand will be between the viewer and this plate, with the thumb pointing left. The left hand will be back of plate FIGURE 2, with thumb to the left also. The three plates are superimposed, with valves between plates FIGURE 2 and FIGURE 3. The mouthpiece will then be to the rear, connected to input I, FIGURE 2.

Suppose We wish to trace air from the mouthpiece to outlet hole 12, for instance. Air comes toward the viewer through I, successively through plates FIGURES (There is no inlet valve, of course.) The air now reaches the back plate of FIGURE 4 and is diverted over to A, and also to B and C, FIGURE 4. It now moves away from the viewer, through C plate FIGURE 4, crossing over from C to D in plate FIG- URE 3. It moves on through D, FIGURE 3 and through the valve controlled by little finger, left hand, which is pressed down. Going through this valve, the air goes through the face plate (not shown) of plate FIG- URE 2, and is diverted down the channel to 16-12-84 holes. Finding holes 4, 8 and 16 closed, but valve 12 open (ring finger, right hand) the air again moves toward the viewer, passing through hole 12 in plate FIG- URE 3 and hole 12 of plate FIGURE 4. Here, impinging on the back plate, it is diverted down the air channel to outlet hole 12, where it comes on through the back plate. In like manner, it can be shown that one and only one combination of valves will feed air to any one of the remaining 15 outlet holes.

Having thus explained my invention, what is claimed is:

1. An air control system for a breath driven musical instrument, comprising a single mouthpiece which feeds air into a multiple valve system comprising for each octave a single primary valve feeding a system of four secondary valves for control of air to four outlets for t each octave, which air activates reeds or electrical switches; and having each of the four secondary valves for each octave ganged with the corresponding secondary valve for every other octave.

2. An air control system for a breath driven musical instrument, comprising a single mouthpiece which feeds air to or from a system of outlets, comprising four outlets for each octave, by means of two sets of valves, comprising one primary valve and four secondary valves for each octave; having each primary valve controlling air to four secondary valves; having each primary valve under control of a digit of one hand; and having the secondary valves so arranged that four sets of secondary valves, comprising a corresponding valve within each octave for each finger control, are operated by the four fingers of the other hand, directing air to or from said system of outlets, activating reeds or electrical switches.

3. An air control system for a breath driven musical instrument, comprising a single mouthpiece which feeds air to or from a system of sixteen outlets for the control of reeds or electrical switches, with air control to said sixteen outlets being obtained through the use of four primary valves, one controlled by each finger of the left hand, to direct air into four octave supply channels, each of which feeds into a secondary valve system comprising one secondary valve for each finger of the right hand, each of which secondary valves diverts air into one of said sixteen outlets; having said secondary valve system ganged in such manner that each finger controls four valves, each valve controlling air to a corresponding spectra of four octaves; it being understood that the control of five octaves may be obtained by adding four additional outlets to be fed by air passing through a left thumb controlled primary valve feeding four additional secondary valves, one each of which has been brought under control of the four fingers of the right hand by adding one valve to each of the four right hand ganged valves.

References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS 1,194,090 5/1959 France.

LEO SMILOW, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN AIR CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A BREATH DRIVEN MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, COMPRISING A SINGLE MOUTHPIECE WHICH FEEDS AIR INTO A MULTIPLE VALVE SYSTEM COMPRISING FOR EACH OCTAVE A SINGLE PRIMARY VALVE FEEDING A SYSTEM OF FOUR SECONDARY VALVES FOR CONTROL OF AIR TO FOUR OUTLETS FOR EACH OCTAVE, WHICH AIR ACTIVATES REEDS OR ELECTRICAL SWITCHES; AND HAVING EACH OF THE FOUR SECONDARY VALVE FOR EACH OCTAVE GANGED WITH THE CORRESPONDING SECONDARY VALVE FOR EVERY OTHER OCTAVE. 